Ocean’s 10/11 wins

The Ocean View Little League 10/11 All-Star team faced its stiffest challenge of the 2006 District 62 All-Star Tournament on July 12 against a determined Seaview squad that itself had turned in an admirable run just to reach the division’s championship final.

Seaview won three games in three days to earn the right to face Ocean View for division supremacy, but it was Ocean View, which had won its three previous tournament games via shutout, that came away with a 6-3 victory at Westminster Little League to claim the district banner.

Seaview needed to defeat unbeaten Ocean View twice in order to win the division. Ocean View had defeated Seaview, 14-0, in the tournament opener for both teams.

“Four games, 46 runs scored, three runs and four hits allowed, “ Ocean View Manager Gorden Gates said. “Those are great numbers this team posted in winning this championship.”

Seaview became the first team in the tournament not only to score on Ocean View, but hold a lead, as well.

After it set Ocean View down in order in the top of the first, Seaview took advantage of two errors in the bottom half of the inning to open up a 1-0 lead. But Ocean View retaliated immediately as Zachary Gates led off the second inning with a single and pinch runner Kevin Engesser stole second and scored the tying run when a hard-hit grounder by Jake Bauers was mishandled in the infield.

Ocean View went ahead to stay in the top of the third. With two on, Grant Mayeaux laced a double down the right field line to score both runners. Casey Hayes followed with a single to left field to score Mayeaux to give Ocean View a 4-1 advantage.

Mayeaux started another rally in the top of the fifth with a single up the middle. Hayes then hit his division-best fifth home run of the tournament, which boosted Ocean View into a 6-1 lead.

Seaview came up with one last rally in the bottom of the sixth by loading the bases without getting a hit. They scored two runs and brought the potential tying run to the plate when Gates entered the game in relief. He struck out the first batter he faced on three pitches to end the game.

“We made a few errors today, which means we’ll do some additional work this week to clean it up as we prepare for Sections” Gorden Gates. “But overall, our kids had an outstanding tournament.”

Ocean View advances to the Section 5 Tournament and opens play at 5:15 p.m. Friday against District 55 champion Laguna Niguel at Little Lake Park in Norwalk.

The Ocean View 10/11 All-Stars are Jake Bauers, Jacob Caron, Kevin Engesser, David Feirstein, Luke Fell, Zachary Gates, Max Gibbs, Casey Hayes, Grant Mayeaux, Dakoda Muta, Dane Perkins, Patrick Shearer, Drew Stanfield, Manager Gorden Gates and coaches Patrick Gibbs and Wade Caron.

In the 9/10 All-Star series:

Huntington Valley wins district title

Huntington Valley completed an undefeated run (4-0) in district play by topping once-beaten Robinwood, 7-1, on July 11 at LeBard Park.

The district title sends Huntington Valley on to the Section Tournament and a 6:30 p.m. first-round game Friday at Woodfield Park in Aliso Viejo.

Ryan Morrissey pitched a one-hitter in five solid innings and Robinwood ace Jackson Westermeyer was equally as formidable as he yielded four hits and a walk in five innings. Huntington Valley never trailed, but was clinging to a 2-1 lead before breaking open the game in the sixth inning.

Huntington Valley took a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Morrissey doubled to start the inning, reached third on a over-throw and scored on a sacrifice fly by Sean O’Toole. Matt Tavakoli padded the lead with a solo home run.

Facing a different pitcher in the top of the sixth, Huntington Valley sent 11 batters to the plate and scored five runs. Jake Weiser started the inning with a single, followed by hits by Morrissey, O’Toole and Garrett Garcia. Andrew Bogard and Tavakoli reached on a walks and Weiser, in his second at-bat of the inning, hit a bases loaded single to drive home the final run.

O’Toole closed in the bottom of the sixth and, facing Robinwood’s Nos. 2 and 3 and clean-up hitters, struck out the final two batters he faced.

Tyler Murray, who singled, made two key catches in left field that helped defuse a Robin- wood rally in the second inning.

The Huntington Valley 9/10 All-Stars are Jarrett Anton, Andrew Bogard, Jake Weiser, Ryan Morrissey, Sean O’Toole, Mathew Tavakoli, Garrett Garcia, Tyler Murray, Peter Goode, Dillon Millar, Ian Wilson, Joey Groth, Jesse Fortune, Brad Dominick, Manager Ron Wilson and Coaches Steve Bogard and Dave Weiser. hbi.20-spallstars-2-CPhotoInfo621T2JOS20060720j2mfgsncCredit: MARK DUSTIN / INDEPENDENT Caption: (LA)Ocean View All-Stars pitcher Drew Stanfield delivers to the plate.